“Announced Tuesday by the Troy-based Kresge Foundation, the no-strings-attached $25,000 grants are among the country’s most generous for individual artists,” states the Detroit Free Press. “This year, the recipients included nine in the literary arts and nine in the visual arts. Two independent panels of five professionals judged more than 700 applicants.” Lucky buggers.

For those of us who didn’t make the cut this year, there’s always next fall. Chin up and keep on writing…

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Baldwin Public Library is pleased to announce that John Comazzi – author of Balthazar Korab: Architect of Photography– will pay a special visit to Baldwin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, for a book talk and question-and-answer period. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event courtesy of Book Beat.

Mr. Comazzi is visiting the Baldwin Public Library as part of the Library of Michigan’s 2013 Michigan Notable Authors Tour. The authors whose engaging works were chosen as Michigan Notable Books selections will visit nearly 50 libraries throughout the state.

“It’s a treat to have Mr. Comazzi in our community, sharing his captivating work in such an open, accessible way. Given the strong local interest in the work of Balthazar Korab, we are delighted to host Mr. Comazzi on the Michigan Notable Authors Tour,” said Doug Koschik, Library Director.

“This year’s Michigan Notable Books delve into wonderfully diverse topics and offer something of interest for just about everyone,” said State Librarian Nancy R. Robertson.

Mr. Comazzi is an Associate Professor of Architecture in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota. He received a B.S. in Architecture from the University of Virginia and both a M.Arch and M.S. in Architecture History and Theory from the University of Michigan. He teaches at the University of Minnesota as an Assistant Professor.

The Baldwin Public Library is located at 300 W. Merrill St. in downtown Birmingham. For details about this author event, call 248-554-4650 or visit the Web at www.baldwinlib.org.

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Elaine Morse was a long-time Birmingham resident and much-loved member of the community until her death in April 2012. She had the knack of inspiring joy and respect in those around her.

Among her many contributions to the Birmingham area was her service on the boards of the Baldwin Public Library and the Friends of the Birmingham Historical Museum & Park. “Everyone associated with Baldwin is pleased and honored to be offering this event in memory of Elaine, who accomplished so much for the Library and the rest of Birmingham,” said Doug Koschik, Library Director.

On Sunday, October 28 at 2 p.m., the Baldwin Public Library will commemorate Elaine by hosting a poetry reading in her honor. At this program, the critically-acclaimed author, Thomas Lynch will read from his two most recent books of poems, Walking Papers and The Sin-Eater: A Breviary.

Thomas Lynch is a writer and funeral director from Milford, Michigan. His first book of nonfiction, The Undertaking, won the American Book Award and the Heartland Prize for Nonfiction, and was a finalist for the National Book Award. Another of his books, Bodies in Motion and at Rest, won the Great Lakes Book Award. Two more, Booking Passage and Apparition and Late Fictions, were named Notable Books by the Library of Michigan.

Naturally, copies of Mr. Lynch’s books will be available for purchase and signing at the reading courtesy of Book Beat Bookstore. The Baldwin Public Library is located in downtown Birmingham at 300 W. Merrill Street and can be reached at 248-647-1700 or through the Library’s website at www.baldwinlib.org.

*Photo taken from McLean & Eakin

– Event information provided in conjunction with the Baldwin Public Library

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Don’t miss Baldwin Public Library’s Books & Bites at Baldwin fundraiser this week! On Thursday, October 18, 2012, local restaurants will come together to feature fine food and drink in Baldwin’s Grand Hall in hopes of raising money for the library. This year, the event’s proceeds will fund an upgrade of Baldwin’s teen area.

Last year, which marked the first Books & Bites at Baldwin, drew a capacity crowd and raised enough money for a renovation of the Early Learning Corner in the Youth Room. Tickets are available for $50.00 each and sponsorship opportunities are available as well. For a complete list of sponsors and more information on how you can get involved, link to www.baldwinlib.org/booksbites.

The Baldwin event begins at 6:00 p.m. and reservations are necessary. Baldwin Public Library is located at 300 West Merrill in Birmingham. For more information you can contact Josh Rouan at 248-554-4683.

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The Detroit Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association (WNBA) will be celebrating National Reading Group Month at the Baldwin Public Library on Wednesday, October 10 at 6:30 p.m.

Michigan authors D.E. Johnson and Natalie Bakopoulos will be featured at the event. Johnson is the author of Detroit Breakdown, The Detroit Electric Scheme and Motor City Shakedown and Ms.Bakopoulos is the author of The Green Shore.

The third in Johnson’s Will Anderson series, Detroit Breakdown follows Will and Elizabeth Hume into their next adventure, now behind the walls of the infamous Eloise Hospital, the massive asylum west of Detroit. Filled with Johnson’s trademark roller-coaster plot, nuanced characters, and brilliant historical research, Detroit Breakdown is a compelling, dark mystery set in the once flourishing Paris of the West.

“Our members look forward to greeting fellow book lovers and enjoying perspectives shared with D.E. Johnson and Natalie Bakopoulos, our featured authors this year! All are welcome to join us for the free event,” said Annette Haley, President of the Detroit Chapter of the Women’s National Book Association.

Naturally, copies of Detroit Breakdown and The Green Shore will be available for sale from Book Beat Bookstore at the event.

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On Saturday, October 6th, Fiction Writers Review and the University of Michigan’s MFA Program in Creative Writing will co-host a day-long literary symposium in Rackham Auditorium on the University of Michigan campus to celebrate Michigan’s great writers and the state’s enduring literary traditions by declaring Michigan “The State of the Book.”

The State of the Book symposium will offer a range of free programming throughout the day that is focused on Michigan writers and the craft of writing—please click the “Schedule” tab above for more details. The day’s events will conclude with an on-stage keynote conversation featuring Charles Baxter, an award-winning fiction writer and novelist, and Philip Levine, a former Poet Laureate of the United States.

Acclaimed sports writer and young adult author Mike Lupica will be visiting the Bloomfield Township Library on Friday, September 14th from 7 t0 8:30pm to promote the release of his latest young adult novel, True Legend. Mike will speak and sign copies of his numerous titles, which will be available for purchase and signing at the event courtesy of Book Beat.

True Legend tells the story of basketball phenom Drew “True” Robinson, whose once in a generation talent is a blessing and a curse. True buys in to his own hype, much to the chagrin of his mother, who wants to keep her boy’s head grounded–and suddenly trouble has a way of finding him. That is, until a washed-up former playground legend steps back onto the court and takes True under his wing. In this age of street agents promising riches to kids barely out of elementary school and college programs being taken down because of recruiting violations, True Legend is a resonant and inspiring novel in the Lupica tradition.

Mike Lupica is a sports writer for the New York Daily News and a commentator for ESPN. He has written dozens of inspirational sports stories for children of all ages, as well as mystery titles for adults.*

*Information taken directly from Book Beat e-news. You can subscribe to the Book Beat newsletter here.

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